The addition of the oral substance P/neurokinin-1 (NK1) receptor antagonist aprepitant ['Emend'] to standard antiemetic therapy gives improved control of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in patients receiving highly emetogenic chemotherapy, according to studies presented at the 39th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) [Chicago, US; May−June 2003]. Analyses of data from two phase III studies showed that aprepitant, when given in combination with the serotonin3receptor antagonist ondansetron and the corticosteroid dexamethasone, reduced the impact of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting on patients' daily lives. Importantly, aprepitant demonstrated efficacy among women and younger patients, two patient subgroups with an increased likelihood of developing nausea and vomiting after chemotherapy.